Audio Input?

[MusicDog]

I'm pretty sure the original EMS Synthi has an audio input. Curious if the Arturia Synthi V has the same feature?

[LBH]

Hi and welcome to Arturia forums.

Synthi V does'nt have audio inputs.

Arturia write this in the manual:
1.3. Arturia's Version of the EMS Synthi AKS
Omitted are:
• The control section along the top of the instrument with various inputs, ouputs
and VU meter. This section is not necessary as all audio inputs, outputs and
metering are handled by your audio interface and/or music software.

* The Input Level module for bringing in external modulation sources. This is no
longer necessary since MIDI CC can be used to automate nearly any parameter
in the plugin.

Arturia does'nt tell why the input audio signal for sound processing is omitted. The audio input is needed for this. But it also require a DAW that can use this when using instrument plugins, as Arturia apparantly have omitted to make effect versions of plugins with audio inputs.
Arturia do have audio inputs in some instruments. But strangely not in SEM V.

Do you have any good examples of Synthis audio input being used for actual sound sculpturing? I can't find any, so i don't know how this actually worked and sounded in the original.

[MusicDog]

Too bad about the audio input. The most notable use of the EMS Synthi AKS as a sound processor would be Brian Eno's use of it throughout the Seventies.

"The Synthi AKS has been used extensively by Brian Eno in his art rock and ambient albums. He particularly made prominent use of its signal-chain editing capability in order to add colour to his own voice as well as Robert Fripp and Phil Manzanera's guitar work. His early band, Roxy Music, supposedly requested that he join them after watching him tinker with the Synthi AKS for only a few minutes."

– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMS_Synthi_AKS

Eno's use of the Synthi includes treating both Robert Fripp and Carlos Alomar's guitar work on the David Bowie's Heroes album. That said, exactly how Eno used the Synthi is not well documented. He's always kept his studio techniques a bit of a mystery.

Why Arturia chose to eliminate the audio input is bewildering, considering it's impressive legacy. Perhaps they can be convinced to add it to an update at some future point. Interestingly the Apesoft IVCS3 iPad app (a software version of the EMS VCS3, Synthi's older brother) includes the audio input. https://www.apesoft.it/ivcs3/

[LBH]

I was looking for specific audio examples using the audio input as a sound source. Use of the external audio input could just as well be for CV control.

[MusicDog]

I wish there were good examples. It is definitely possible on the EMS hardware synths, as well as the Apesoft iVCS3. There's a youtube video tutorial on using samples as a sound source the Apesoft iVCS3. The same input routing can be used to send a line or mic in. That's the closest example I've found so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmkCGWo-Ppw

Also from the EMS VCS3 manual...

"External Sources.Up totwo simultaneous external sources (forexample, a microphone and an external oscillator, or a second VCS 3 and a prepared tape) can be fed into the studio, where they can be processed with internally generated sources. “

http://www.vasulka.org/archive/eigenwelt/pdf.old/108-109.pdf

[LBH]

Yes i have the manuals. And yes it was possible to route audio into the original. You can also route audio into some software.
Arturia have audio input in Mini V, Modular V, ARP 2600 V and Buchla Easel V.
Beside that Arturia have their filter effect applications Mini-filter, M12-Filter and SEM-Filter.
Synthi have another filter and functionality. So i was just wondering how the real EMS actually sounded using audio input. And i was  wondering if you had heard something speciel, that you wanted to be able to do.
I think a audio input in Synthi V would be in it's place, as it was there in the original.

I think the organ chopping in this: The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHhrZgojY1Q
and the voice filtering in this: KING CRIMSON - LIZARD - Happy Family: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x31ogfc
was made with EMS Synthi, but i'm not certain. Is that what you wan't to do? If so, then i think you can do what you wan't with the above applications.
This is just some music examples i have heard about. But i can't find any good examles showing the feature - or a tutorial. I found a very bad video once where the EMS ring modulator and filter was used, but it was very very bad, so i can't use it for anything.
And examples from the software versions there are of Synthi and VCS3 does'nt show anything very speciel. But Arturias version perhaps could because of Arturias sound. I can't tell.

EMS also builded analog vocoders like this: http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/ems_vocoder.php - There is a video showing a little of this on this page.


EDIT:
Found this by chance.
Pete Townshend on "that" sound from Won't Get Fooled Again :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5voNyRmvXs
Look from 0:50.
So that was true.

Here is an example with the same tune using Arturias ARP 2600 V3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw-ZpUZ0GTE
Look from 1:42.


Also found the above mentioned bad movie: EMS SynthiA demo Part 2 - External processing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hv3ItM9mbg
EDIT END

[parodise]

XILS-Lab has got this Option, so why not Arturia?

[MCMorrise]

XILS-Lab has got this Option, so why not Arturia?

I just posted the same thing under feature requests for the Synthi, not thinking to look and see whether it had been brought up under technical issues.  I wholeheartedly agree.